Tandem shoe bag



P 1934- c. E. HOCKMEYER 7 ,156

TANDEM SHOE BAG Filed April 1, 1933 Patented Sept. 18, 1934 STATES PATEN oFFicE I 1,974,156 TANDEM SHOE BAG Clive E. Hockmeyer, Lowell, Mass.

Application April 1, 1933, Serial No. 663,983

'2 Claims (01. 15052) My present invention is a novel and improved structure and design for a flexible and foldable shoe bag arranged for a pair of shoes to be positioned therein.

Eeretofore it has been customary to make various styles of bag-like structures with a plurality of sets of pockets, usually in parallel rows to fasten on the walls or doors of closets, or the like, and to hold a considerable number of I pairs of shoes, such as a dozen pairs. Such articles are for storage only and-are not capable or feasible of use in retailing shoes.

My present invention has for its object to pro vide a novel but attractive shoe bag, adapted to hold a single pair of shoes, and to have the same arranged in tandem so that a pair of shoes may be applied therein and then folded together, with the heel of one shoe fitting over the toe portion of the adjacent shoe to thus J provide for a compact folded structure suitable for permanent use.

A further object of the present invention is to so provide such a shoe bag for each pair that it will be capable of use in place of a usual .shoe carton or box, permitting each pair of shoes to be thus encased in a soft and attractive textile folded bag-like structure which will keep the uppers from being marred or damaged; which can be stored in stock in much less space than that heretofore required for boxes or cartons; which will eliminate the necessity of packing the shoes in soft paper within the box, and which will, furthermore, serve as an attractive sales feature in displaying the shoes .and selling each pair to a customer with my novel tandem bag as the container therefor.

I believe that this idea of a tandem-like bag structure for each single pair of shoes, sufficiently inexpensive as well as attractive to permit the shoes to be packed therein and retailed therefrom, is a distinct novelty in the boot and shoe industry, and that my present invention enables such advantages to be employed in the marketing of such articles.

Further features of the invention, novel construction, arrangement and advantages will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

Referring to the drawing illustrating preferred embodiments of my present invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my tandem bag structure;

Fig. 2 being a side view;

Fig. 3 illustrates the same with a pair of men's shoes of conventional form fitted therein;

Fig. 4 illustrating the same in folded and compact position for storage in a retail store, for transportation, and use by the customer;

Figs. 5 and 6 are plan and side views respectively of a modified form particularly adapted for use with ladies high heeled shoes.

My novel and improved shoe bag structure may be made of any suitable material of any size or color, but preferably I employ a strong soft corduroy, or the like, which will withstand severe wear and usage and yet will at all times afford a soft protecting covering for the shoe upper. This'is most important in preventing scratching, marring, or other damage to the shoe uppers during transportation, storage, and display of the shoes in a retail store.

Furthermore, there is a slight advantage in the polishing effect when placing the shoes in or removing them from the bag made of such soft textile material.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is illustrative of my improved tandem bag structure wherein a strip of packing material, preferably slightly narrowed at the top, as indicated at 1, broadened out for the width of the shoe to be held, as indicated at 2, again narrowed at the intermediate or neck portion 3 to facilitate folding, and again broadened at the lower packing portion, as indi cated at 4, constitutes the combined packing and supporting, as well as enclosing, portion of the structure. Attached to the broadened portions 2 and 4 are stitched bag-like receptacles 7 and 8, one for each shoe of a pair, with the bag suspended or laid out fiat. The pair of shoes are fitted within the receptacles '7 and 8, as illustrated in dotted lines at 10 and 12, thus partially bulging out both the back members 2 and 4, and the bag-like portions 7 and 8, as illustrated in Fig. 3. When thus positioned the bag portions may be folded together, the reduced neck 3 facilitating this folding action and preventing a bulky appearance or a surplus mass of material, such folded position with the heel of one shoe adjacent to the toe of the other being illustrated in Fig. 4.

To facilitate the folding, as well as to enable the shoe bag to be suspended on a hook or the like, I provide a loop 15 at the upper end, as clearly shown, and a pair of straps l6, 16 attached to the back 2 which will tie the shoes together when in folded position, as shown in Fig. 4, holding them snugly and compactly and, preferably, with one of the straps 16 passing through the loop 15, as will be readily appreciated upon viewing Fig. 4, giving the advantage of a neat appearing and perfectly protecting covering.

My invention of a tandem shoe bag of the type above described and as herein illustrated gives a much better protecting covering for a pair of shoes than the ordinary paper carton or box, and by eliminating needless extra length and size of such portions-usually such boxes or cartons are made for the larger sizes Whether containing small shoes or notI am enabled to greatly conserve storage space as Well as to eliminate needless operations in packing, opening and displaying, and repacking the shoes as heretofore necessary when cartons were used.

Furthermore, my textile tandem bag structure folds neatly and attractively and adds an important sales feature to the marketing of shoes thus encased.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, I have illustrated a slightly modified form particularly intended for high-heeled shoes. In this form the same compactness is obtained; the loop 15 and strap 16 are employed, and the bag portions 20 and 21 for each pair are somewhat more pointed at the bottom or toe portion, or proportionately wider at the top to permit the adjacent bag parts 20 and 21 and their respective back portions 22 and 23 toreceive the high-heeled shoes, as illustrated in dotted lines in 24 and 25, allowing for the spread of the extra length of the heel.

The narrow neck 30 also facilitates the folding of this type of shoe bag, the shoes being neatly nested heel and toe similarly to that as above explained in describing Fig. 4.

It will thus be seen that I have devised a novel, improved, economical and efiicient shoe bag, which I have designated as a tandem shoe bag structure, suitable for the distinctly novel method of packaging and marketing shoes for each pair, eliminating the use of cartons or boxes, saving space in storing and packing, and affording greater ease in opening for display to the customer and repacking, together with the advantageous and attractive features of a cloth or textile bag for additional sales efiect on the customer.

I claim: 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a tandem shoe bag of the kind described, having a pair of baglike pockets positioned end to end and arranged to be folded together, each pocket having capacity to receive a single shoe of a pair, said pockets being joined by a relatively narrow neck portion to facilitate the folding of the bag portions together, with the heel of one shoe adjacent the toe of the other shoe of the pair.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a tandem shoe bag of the kind described, having a pair of bag-like pockets positioned end to end and arranged to be folded together, each pocket having capacity to receive a single shoe of a pair, said pockets being joined by a relatively narrow neck portion to facilitate the folding of the bag portions together, with the heel of one shoe adjacent the toe of the other shoe of the pair, in combination. with means to suspend both pocket structures and shoes from one end of the article, together with fastening means to hold the shoe bags in folded position.

CLIVE E. HOCKMEYER.

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